An Email Fight Amongst Friends:

Email#1 To Some of My Friends
Subject: These Puppies Need a Home!
A customer @ my place of employment is selling some puppies. They are rotty/boxer mix. Attached are some pics and some more info about them.
If you're interested please let me know! Thanks!

Mary E.
Note: forwarded message attached.


Braver at Night: APATHETIC ICON PRESS ©2004

Want to know more? http://www.simplyjd.com

How the Wretched Live--An experiment in self-indulgence: http://howthewretchedlive.blogspot.com/
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan.Shook@Mineralstech.com [mailto:Susan.Shook@Mineralstech.com]

Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 3:52 PM
To: Mary Nied
Subject: Puppy pictures - 4 weeks old

Girl, by the box the other two are boys .
The one in the front is available to a good home.

We are asking $200 this includes cropping the tail, first shots and
worming.

Puppies are scheduled to have their shots June 3rd.

The mom is a boxer rottweiler mix and the dad is full blood rottweiler
Brown and white, dominant boxer.

The big brown dog in picture number 2 is the sister to the mom of these
puppies.
As you can see the mom is laid back she lets her sister and her mother
close to these puppies.


Susan Shook

Email #2 LX's Reply:
Hey, thanks for the offer but I'm not sure why you forwarded this on to me as:

A) I have four cats.

B) Why would I pay $200 dollars to mutilate the poor thing when I could just run it's tail over with my car?

By the way, are you getting a cut of the tail-chopping profits for advertising for these ethically-challenged fascists?

Thanks, dear, but no thanks.

LX

Email #3 My Reply to LX:
LX:
I'm not sure if you realize but your emails (particularly this one) can oftentimes come off as extremely harsh and condescending.
That being said,
1.I'm getting no "cut".
2.The tails were already "chopped" off before I even knew about the pups.
3.I DID know you had 4 cats, but thought that if I forwarded this to people that I knew that have pets/close friends/like animals, then maybe someone would know someone that would be interested.
4.I'll be sure remember to NOT email you next time with my inbox-clogging spam.

Thanks dear,
Mary

Email #4 LX's 2nd Reply:
Oftentimes? This was the only one meant to be harsh at all, and even then I was half joking. I did not think that you were actually getting a cut. However, I do strongly feel that animal breeding and surgical aesthetic alteration is sick and wrong. According to PETA, animals should not be "owned" at all. Further, demanding money for creatures when so many others are available free from the SPCA and pounds is insane. I also disapprove of the ownership of naturally violent dogs like rottweilers just so that people can look tough and cool. So, now that I think about it, I do take issue with the whole scenario and I try not to associate with people who think that paying for an animal and to have it butchered because Dog Lover's Magazine told them to is a great idea. I am sorry I have offended you. I don't mean to sound condescending. I do value your friendship. But I still don't want any chopped-up doggies.

Email #5 Ze Brickthrower's Rebuttal:
There's a way to state your case or disapproval for something without adding sarcasm (driving a dog's tail over with your car) or condescension (thanks dear, but no thanks).
I value your friendship too. I just felt I was being dealt with in a harsh manner over a subject that clearly was not my intent.

I love you LX. Nothing will ever change that. :-)

Mary E.

Email #6 LX and I love each other Again:
I love you, Darling. Honestly, ironically, I added the 'dear' to take the edge off. It obviously backfired. I can totally see how you could read it otherwise. There's a Kids in the Hall skit about a guy who has a speech impediment that makes him sound sarcastic...

++++++++++++++++++++end of transmission++++++++++++++++++